Oh my...after 5 days and 4 nights of frolicking around Las Vegas to celebrate Mrs. DBJ's birthday with some long-lost high school friends, I'm back in Columbus and - while still a bit groggy from the late night flight - am getting ready to fire it back up again.
Before I get too far along, let's all offer a hearty thanks to Kirsi for keeping the game thoughts a-flowing in my absence. I'm still trying to understand the fascination with Marc Methot (or was it "met to charm"?), but the commentary was downright solid and worthy of everyone's time and attention. Yeah, you - in the back - sit up straight and hear what the lady has to say! You might actually learn something!
As for me, I'd never been to Vegas and was fascinated by the whole thing. Perhaps most pertinent to this blog is my rote education in the world of sports betting. (I spent a decent amount of time at Lagasse's Stadium in the Palazzo even though I didn't stay at that hotel. It's a sports-watcher's dream place...the ultimate man-cave.) The West Virginia Mountaineers - always an easy team to root against - became the ideal team to bet against because their hoops team just could not cover the spread if their lives depended on it. They provided me with ample money to play the slots. If I didn't come back a dollar or two ahead on the trip (gambling-wise...the food and shows were plenty expensive), I can't have come back worse than even. Much to my chagrin, I never got to bet on the Columbus Blue Jackets. I got settled in too late to throw down money on the Atlanta game (which stinks as I would've won) but give the wait staff at the Stadium tons of credit for even finding the CBJ-Thrashers game for me in the midst of the college basketball conference tournaments. I also was out and about as the St. Louis game was getting started (all for the best as I would've lost) and was in the air on the way home as the Edmonton game was being played.
Stepping back from the individual game performances, I'd suggest that one of Scott Howson's biggest issues is getting this team's confidence restored. Some nights, this team is a juggernaut. Others, I'm not sure they would win in the AHL.
Let's hope the permanent head coach can get this team's mind straightened out. Because I only get to Vegas - well, once in my lifetime thus far - and I'd like to bet on a winner if I ever get back!
(Any word on whether the forthcoming casino in Columbus will have a sports book?)
glad to have you back! i agree about the confidence. hope these guys can figure out they are really talented... and embrace it.
ReplyDeletemy fascination with methot confuses many.. but hey... he's the talk of the town (errrr, coach, gm, newspaper writers... and me), lately! :P